LIVE: Govt says can introduce vaccine within 10 days of emergency approval

Coronavirus live updates: At 1,947,011, Maharashtra has the highest number of coronavirus cases, followed by Karnataka 921,938, Andhra Pradesh 883,210, Tamil Nadu 820,712, and Kerala 778,873

8:57 PM

Emergency use of vaccine is based on safety, immunogenicity data, says ICMR chief

Emergency use of vaccine is based on safety, immunogenicity data, says ICMR chief

8:50 PM

All Indian vaccines being developed for storage at 2-8 degree Celsius: DBT Secy

All Indian vaccines being developed against the coronavirus will have to be stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius as the logistics have been worked out while considering temperature as a factor, Department of Biotechnology Secretary Renu Swarup said on Tuesday.

 

Swarup said Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin and Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield have robustly undergone immunoassay lab tests.

 

(For) all our vaccines, we are looking at right now..(we) are targeting 2-8 degree because our logistics are worked out on that basis and we are working on that, Swarup said at a press briefing. She said the DNA vaccine candidate being developed by Zydus Cadila, and the Biological E's mRNA vaccine work at storage temperatures of 2-8 degrees Celsius.

8:42 PM

Maharashtra reports 3,160 new Covid cases, 2,828 discharges, and 64 deaths in a day

8:24 PM

655 new coronavirus cases in Gujarat, four deaths, 868 recover

The coronavirus caseload in Gujarat rose to 2,48,581 with 655 new cases coming to light on Tuesday. Four patients succumbed to the viral infection which took the death toll to 4,325, the department said in its release. At the same time, 868 patients were discharged from hospital. The number of recovered persons in the state thus rose to 2,35,426.

 

The daily spike in cases in Gujarat has witnessed a steady decline over the last few weeksand the state's recoveryrate has now improved to 94.71 per cent, saidthe department.

 

As many as 48,039 tests were conducted for COVID-19 on Tuesday, increasing the total of samples tested so far to 99,06,698. Gujarat's COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 2,48,581, new cases 655, death toll 4,325, recovered 2,35,426, active cases 8,830, people tested so far 99,06,698.

7:55 PM

Delhi reports 442 fresh Covid-19 cases; positivity rate dips to 0.55%

Delhi recorded 442 COVID-19 cases and12 new fatalities on Tuesday, even as the positivity rate slumped to 0.55 per cent. The overall infection tally in the city has now gone past 6.27 lakh and the death toll reached 10,609, they said.

 

The 442 new cases came out of the 79,777 tests conducted the previous day, including 41,633 RT-PCR tests and 38,144 rapid antigen tests, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.

 

The active cases tally on Tuesday dropped to 4,562 from 4,689 the previous day. Delhi had recorded 384 cases on Monday, the lowest in over seven months, and the positivity rate was 0.76 per cent.

7:27 PM

COVISHEILD is safe and the data shows that it is inferior to the UK product: ICMR

7:11 PM

Centre has not banned export of any Covid-19 vaccine: Union health secretary

The Union government has not banned the export of any COVID-19 vaccine that has been granted restricted emergency use approval by the drug regulator, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday, while urging the media to guard against the spread of such misinformation. The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had on Sunday approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

 

Responding to a question during a press briefing on Tuesday, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bushan said, "The Union government has not banned the export of any one of the COVID-19 vaccines and this should be absolutely clear."

 

"When I say Union government, it means there are three ministries --- Ministry of Health, Ministry of Commerce, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade with the Ministry of Commerce and Directorate General of Foreign Trade -- which can initiate, in a hypothetical scenario, such an action."

6:46 PM

Nagaland reports more Covid-19 recoveries than fresh cases for 10th consecutive day

Nagaland for the 10th consecutive day on Tuesday reported more COVID-19 recoveries than fresh cases as 30 patients recuperated from the disease while two new infections pushed the coronavirus tally to 11,937, a health official said.

 

The COVID-19 recovery rate in the state rose to an all-time high of 97.01 per cent from Sunday's 96.78 per cent, he said, adding that a total of 11,581 people have recovered from the disease.

 

"2 +ve cases of #COVID-19 have been detected today. Dimapur-1 Peren-1 each. Also 30 +ve patients have recovered. Mokokchung-26, Kohima-3, Dimapur-1," Health Minister S Pangnyu Phom said in a tweet.

 

The state now has 144 active COVID-19 cases with 73 cases in Dimapur district, followed by Kohima (50), Mokokchung (14), Peren (5), Mon (1) and Kiphire (1).

6:18 PM

Vaccine firms Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute patch up after war of words

After engaging in a war of words, the chiefs of two of India's leading vaccine makers, Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India, patched up and issued a joint statement saying they would work together for a 'smooth rollout' of the Covid19 vaccines to India and the world.

 

The two companies, which got restricted-use approval in an emergency situation (covid-19) last weekend, were caught up in a war of words after a group of experts raised questions around the process of approval.

 

Adar Poonawalla, CEO of Serum Institute of India, told a national television channel that there are only three vaccines in the world with proven efficacy (Pfizer, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca), and that everything else has been proven safe 'just like water'. His counterpart Krishna Ella, chairman and managing director of Bharat Biotech retorted with a dig saying had his firm done trials like AstraZeneca, the drug regulator would have 'shut down the company'. READ ON...

5:38 PM

Odisha to conduct health check-ups in schools and colleges for Covid-19

The Odisha government would undertake regular health check-ups in educational institutions across the state for COVID-19 after opening of schools and colleges. The Health and Family Welfare department would undertake health check-ups in educational institutions after opening of schools on January 8 and colleges/universities on January 11.

 

Additional Chief Secretary P K Mohapatra has assured the state government on behalf of the H&FW department about health check-ups at a high level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary S C Mohapatra.

 

The chief secretary had earlier asked the department to conduct frequent health check-ups in educational institutions and hostels as a preventive mesure against any possible large breakout of the pandemic.

5:10 PM

India's daily positivity rate of Covid-19 is continuously declining: Health Ministry

4:55 PM

India's cumulative Covid-19 positivity rate has declined to 5.87%: Health Ministry

4:38 PM

Health Ministry ready to introduce Covid-19 vaccine within 10 days of emergency use authorization

"Health Ministry ready to introduce Covid-19 vaccine within 10 days of emergency use authorization," says Health Secretary, quoting feedback government got based on dry run in all states.

4:13 PM

Serum, Bharat Biotech to work together to develop, supply Covid-19 vaccines

Serum Institute of India (SII) and Bharat Biotech on Tuesday said they will work together to develop, manufacture and supply the COVID-19 vaccines in India and globally. In a joint statement on behalf of the two companies, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla and Bharat Biotech Chairman and Managing Director Krishna Ella announced their combined intent to develop, manufacture and supply the COVID-19 vaccines for India and the world.

 

They noted that the most important task in front of them was saving lives and livelihoods in India and globally.

 

Vaccines are global public health good and they have the power to save lives and accelerate the return to economic normalcy at the earliest. Now that two COVID-19 vaccines have been issued EUA (emergency use authorisation) in India, the focus is on manufacturing, supply and distribution, such that population that need it the most receive high quality, safe and efficacious vaccines, the statement said.

 

The DCGI on Sunday granted emergency use authorisation for Oxford-AstraZeneca's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin.

4:01 PM

We're prepared for Covid-19 vaccination in Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar

3:41 PM

UK in tough new lockdown to tackle surging new Covid-19 variant

The UK entered a tough new stay-at-home lockdown on Tuesday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it has been both frustrating and alarming to see the speed with which the new variant of the coronavirus is spreading and declared that hospitals in the country are under more pressure from the deadly virus than at any time in the pandemic.

 

While Scotland's new rules, which involve school and business closures become legal from Tuesday, England's rules -- akin to the stringent measures of the first wave of the pandemic in March 2020 -- become law in the early hours of Wednesday. However, Johnson has urged the public to begin following the strict work from home rules right away.

 

The new rules are expected to stay in place until mid-February with a review planned based on vaccine rollout data and infection rates.

3:15 PM

Fully aware of importance of vaccines for people and countries alike: Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech

"We are fully aware of the importance of vaccines for people and countries alike, we hereby communicate our joint pledge to provide global access for our COVID-19 vaccines," say Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech

3:06 PM

Serum Institute and Bharath Biotech announce 'combined intent' to develop, supply Covid-19 vaccines for India

Serum Institute and Bharath Biotech announce "combined intent" to develop and supply Covid-19 vaccines for India, putting out statement after spat.

2:59 PM

India's active coronavirus caseload down to 2.31 lakh

India's COVID-19 active caseload, which has been falling steadily, stands at 2,31,036 and accounts for a "paltry"2.23 per cent of the total infections reported so far, the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday. This has been made possible as daily recoveries are outnumbering new infections for 39 days in a row, the ministry stated.

 

"Against 29,091 people who recovered in a 24-hour window, India reported only 16,375 new cases, maintaining a steady level of testing. "A net decline of 12,917 cases has been recorded in the total active cases in a day," the ministry said.

 

India's cumulative recoveries are inching closer to the 1-crore mark. The tally of recovered cases stands at 99,75,958 as of now. The ministry said 82.62 per cent of the 29,091 new recoveries were contributed by 10 states and union territories. Maharashtra reported the highest number of 10,362 single-day recoveries, while Kerala recorded 5,145 and Chhattisgarh 1,349.

2:43 PM

Four US states confirm cases of Covid-19 variant

Four US states -- New York, Colorado, California, Florida -- have reported cases of the new and more transmissible Covid-19 variant, which was first discovered in Britain last month. The latest case was discovered in New York state on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported.

 

In a statement, Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed that the infected person in his 60s is from Saratoga County and had no known travel history.

 

"He was symptomatic, but he is on the mend, and he's doing better. He did not travel recently, so this suggests that it's in the community, it was community spread as opposed to having travelled to the UK," the Governor added. In Florida, a case was detected on December 31, 2020, while California registered one a day earlier.

2:08 PM

No fresh Covid-19 case in Andamans; authorities enforcing strict coronavirus guidelines

After months of steady rise in coronavirus cases, good news came for Andaman and Nicobar Islands with not a single fresh COVID-19 case reported in the last 24 hours. The coronavirus tally in the Union Territory remained at 4,948, while a total of 62 people have died so far due to the contagion, he said.

 

Two persons were cured of the disease since Monday, taking the total number of recoveries in the archipelago to 4,848, the official said. The Union Territory now has 38 active cases.

 

The Andaman and Nicobar administration has conducted 1,86,140 sample tests for COVID-19 so far, and the positivity rate stands at 2.66 per cent, he added. The news of zero coronavirus case are encouraging as the picturesque islands, a major tourists destination, has been witnessing arrival of journeymakers by air and also through sea routes.

1:50 PM

New Covid-19 variant may enter Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka faces the danger of new coronavirus variant entering the country as the government has allowed the foreign tourists to return to the country, a senior epidemilogist warned on Tuesday. A group of Ukrainian tourists became the first batch of holidayers to visit Sri Lanka last month in more than eight months after the island nation put curbs on international travel due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

 

"We have to make sure that all health protocols are strictly followed. Those who come in are actually touring the country during their mandatory quarantine period," said Dr Sudath Samaraweera, the chief epidemiologist.

 

Since last week, at least 3 groups of tourists form Ukraine have arrived under a pilot project to revive tourism in the island nation. The authorities have ensured they are on a bio bubble.

1:27 PM

Covid made India strengthen itself, step up on global stage: Vikram Misri

The coronavirus pandemic has spurred India to strengthen itself to demonstrate that with greater capabilities it would help not just itself but also be a force for good on the global stage, India's ambassador to China Vikram Misri has said.

 

In an opinion piece published in the Hong-Kong based South China Morning Post, Misri said that the "devastating impact" of the pandemic was hard to quantify and its implications have been profound. Read on...

1:26 PM

20 more cases with new coronavirus strain found in India, total touches 58

The central government said on Tuesday that 20 more cases of mutant strain of coronavirus reported from UK have been detected in India, taking the total such cases in the country to 58.

 

"All these persons have been kept in single-room isolation in designated healthcare facilities by the respective state governments. Their close contacts have also been put in quarantine. Comprehensive contact tracing has been initiated for co-travellers, family contacts and others. Genome sequencing on other specimens is going on," the Health Ministry said. Read on...

12:58 PM

India's Covid-19 vaccination challenge needs a private sector helping hand

India faces one of the world’s most formidable challenges: rolling out a Covid-19 vaccination program for 1.3 billion people. To succeed, many things have to go right in a country that usually gets a lot wrong. The government would be wise to enlist the country’s private sector in this gargantuan effort — and soon.

 

The vaccine rollout is already off to a shaky start. The government last week announced emergency approval for two vaccines. The first, a joint effort from AstraZeneca PLC and Oxford University, is being produced by the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. The other has been developed by the Indian company Bharat Biotech International Ltd. Read on...

12:46 PM

India records lowest daily coronavirus cases in more than six months

India recorded 16,375 new cases of coronavirus, the lowest in over six months, taking the country's Covid-19 caseload to 1,03,56,844, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

 

The death toll increased to 1,49,850 with 201 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed

 

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 99,75,958 pushing the national recovery rate to96.32 percent,while the COVID-19 case fatality rate stands at 1.45 per cent. Read on...

12:36 PM

Apple temporarily closes all stores in UK as coronavirus cases surge

Apple has temporarily shut down all retail stores in the UK as Covid-19 pandemic continues to peak in the country.

 

Apple has been shutting down several stores and temporarily closed every single location in California, Mexico, Brazil and over a dozen in London.

 

The tech giant has now temporarily closed its remaining 18 retail stores in the UK following a new round of tough lockdowns in England and Scotland. Read on...

12:22 PM

Former Pakistan women's skipper Sana Mir tests positive for coronavirus

Former Pakistan women's skipper Sana Mir has tested positive for coronavirus.

 

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Sana, who was in the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) commentary panel for the Quaid-e-Azam trophy final match tested positive for COVID-19 after showing symptoms on day three of the match.

 

PCB informed that a broadcaster was tested positive but didn't reveal the name. The cricket board also confirmed that all broadcasters were neither interacting with players nor were they stationed in the same hotel.

12:21 PM

DATA STORY: India reports lowest daily spike in Covid cases since June 24

Fewest Covid deaths in a day since May 31; most recoveries in a day since December 24, biggest single-day net reduction in active cases since Nov 16, only 5 new active cases across India. Read on...

12:03 PM

Bill Gates hails India for scientific innovation, Covid vaccine production

US business magnate, philanthropist, and co-founder of Microsoft Bill Gates on Tuesday applauded India's effort in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

He also hailed India's leadership in scientific innovation and vaccine manufacturing capability.

 

"It's great to see India's leadership in scientific innovation and vaccine manufacturing capability as the world works to end the COVID-19 pandemic," he tweeted, tagging PMO India in the post. Read on...